Barbara A. Phillips of Bridgehampton died peacefully at home on May 25. She was 97.
Throughout her long career as a teacher, author, editor and publisher, she strove to convey that clarity and concision are the hallmarks of good writing. She received her M.A. in Education from NYU and was an English teach at the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn, before becoming a freelance editor, book reviewer, feature writer and author of a book of short stories, “Goodbye Friends.”
In l992, she and her husband established Bridge Works, a small prize-winning, book publishing house that featured first-time authors, including, among others, Alan Isler, Lorna Landvik and Tom Perrotta.
She served on the Boards of Planned Parenthood of Brooklyn, the Nature Conservancy, and the NOW Legal Defense Fund.
She was predeceased by her husband, Warren H. Phillips; and daughter Leslie. She is survived by her two daughters, Lisa and Nina Phillips; and four grandchildren, Kate, Savanna, Olivia and Jack.
Staff Writer on Jun 16, 2025